Department for Education

Teachers: Career Development

Lord Carrington: To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to adapting theEarly Career Framework for teachers to take account of the need for diverse skillsets.

Baroness Barran: The Early Career Framework (ECF) provider-led programmes have been designed with an evidence based approach to ensure early career teachers (ECTs) focus on the things that make the most difference to their professional practice, ensuring that every teacher receives a consistently high-quality induction. It is important that the carefully planned structure and sequence of the programmes is followed. However, programmes can and should be contextualised to an individual’s context and role and tailored to an individual's strengths and development needs.The department has listened to the feedback on the provider-led ECF based induction programmes and is working on making improvements. The department has produced flexibilities guidance for lead providers on how ECTs can be supported to understand and apply the content of the programmes to their context and role. The department knows that there are many schools and mentors who are already managing ECF based training effectively and has invited practitioners to share how they support their ECTs to apply the content of the provider-led ECF based training programmes to their school’s context. The department has shared these examples of good practice with the sector through an online blog.The department has publicly committed to reviewing the Initial Teacher Training Core Content Framework and ECF alongside each other. As part of this review, the department will continue to review how the ECF is currently delivered, which will facilitate any necessary adjustments and improvements, based on feedback, to improve the experience for ECTs and mentors.

Teachers: Migrant Workers

Lord Carrington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reasons why there are not sufficient teacher applicants from overseas.

Baroness Barran: The department welcomes talented individuals from overseas to train to teach in England. For the 2023/24 academic year the department has extended bursary and scholarship eligibility to all non-UK national trainees in physics and languages. This means international physics trainees are eligible for scholarships worth £29,000 and bursaries worth £27,000. International language trainees are eligible for scholarships of £27,000 and bursaries worth £25,000. The department is also piloting a new international relocation payment worth £10,000 to help teachers and trainees in languages and physics with the cost of visas and other expenses involved in moving to England.The new ‘Apply for QTS in England’ service provides a fair and consistent approach to the recognition of overseas teachers’ qualifications, meaning more suitably qualified teachers from around the world have a route to gain qualified teacher status (QTS).

Teachers: Incentives

Lord Carrington: To ask His Majesty's Government why financial incentives for teachers are not offered for teaching additional subjects to support a broad school curriculum.

Baroness Barran: Each year the department reviews the financial incentives it offers to support the recruitment and retention of teachers where there is the greatest need. This ensures the department is providing funding where it is needed the most.The department offers a Levelling Up Premium worth up to £3,000 tax-free annually for mathematics, physics, chemistry and computing teachers in the first five years of their careers who work in disadvantaged schools, including within Education Investment Areas. This supports the supply of teachers in the highest demand subjects and ensures they are placed within the schools and areas that need them the most.The department also continues to focus initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries and scholarships on English Baccalaureate subjects, particularly those experiencing teacher shortages, to secure as many applicants as possible in subjects where schools are likely to devote the most teaching time.

Religion: Education

Lord Carrington: To ask His Majesty's Government why Religious Education is not included in the list of subjects for English Baccalaureate qualification.

Baroness Barran: The government’s ambition is for the English Baccalaureate (EBacc) to be at the heart of each secondary school’s broader curriculum. The EBacc subjects are those considered to provide a sound basis for many degrees and a variety of careers beyond the age of 16. The EBacc was deliberately designed to be limited in size so that pupils could study other subjects, such as Religious Studies, alongside it. There are no plans to amend the composition of the EBacc.The government recognises the importance of religious education (RE), both to pupils' wider knowledge and to society. RE offers pupils the opportunity to engage with real world issues and to develop their understanding and appreciation of the beliefs and views of others. For this reason, the teaching of RE remains compulsory throughout a pupil's schooling.

Teachers: Career Development

Lord Carrington: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of theeffectiveness of the Early Career Framework for teachers.

Baroness Barran: The department published interim results as part of the independent evaluation of the national roll-out of the Early Career Framework (ECF) in May 2022, and an annual summary report in March 2023. The findings of these evaluations have been broadly positive. The ongoing Core Content Framework and ECF Review is taking these findings, along with a wider range of input and evidence, into consideration when working to iterate and further improve the ECF reforms.

Home Office

British National (Overseas) and Asylum: Hong Kong

Lord Tyrie: To ask His Majesty's Government how many Hong Kong citizens have entered the UK sincethe introduction of that territory's National Security Law (1)using the British National (Overseas) route, and (2) as asylum seekers; and in each case, what was the age profile in terms of (a) absolute number, and (b) relative percentage, for each age cohort of five years.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office publishes data on asylum and visas in the ‘Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release’. Data on asylum applications and initial decisions by nationality and age group can be found in tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 respectively of the ‘asylum and resettlement detailed datasets’. Please note that data relates to asylum applications and initial decisions and does not represent arrivals to the UK.As at the end of March 2023 113,500 individuals have arrived in the UK using an out of country BN(O) visa. At this time we are unable to break down this figure by age. Additionally, data on BN(O) route visa applications and outcomes can be found in tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 respectively of the ‘managed migration datasets’.Information on how to use the datasets can be found in the ‘Notes’ page of the workbooks. The latest data relate to the year ending March 2023.tables Asy_D01 and Asy_D02 (xlsx, 1254.0KB)tables Vis_D01 and Vis_D02 (xlsx, 3829.9KB)

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the age of youngest unaccompanied child seeking asylum who has been housed in a Home Office temporary hotel; and how long that child was housed there for.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We take the safety of those in our care seriously. We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people in hotels are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with a local authority. Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites have security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.Between 1 July 2021 and 31 March 2023, the NTS transferred 4,875 children to local authorities with children’s services which is over six times the number of transfers in the same time frame in previous years (between October 2019 – June 2021 there were 793 transfers).Since 15 February 2022, all local authorities with children’s services in the UK have been directed to participate in the National Transfer Scheme (NTS) to ensure UASC receive the critical care they need. We have also offered incentivised funding to local authorities to move these young people in the care system.The data requested cannot be provided as it comes from live operational databases that have not been quality assured.

Asylum: Children

Lord Scriven: To ask His Majesty's Government how many unaccompanied children seeking asylum have been housed in Home Office temporary hotels in the past 18 months; and of those, how many were aged between (1)five and nine, (2) 10 and 13, and (3) 14 and 16.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: We take the safety of those in our care seriously. We have robust safeguarding procedures in place to ensure all young people in hotels are safe and supported as we seek urgent placements with a local authority.Young people are supported by team leaders and support workers who are on site 24 hours a day. Further care is provided in hotels by teams of social workers and nurses. All contingency sites have security staff on site 24/7 and providers liaise closely with local police to ensure the welfare and safety of vulnerable residents.The data requested cannot be provided as it comes from live operational databases that have not been quality assured.

Visas: Ministers of Religion

Lord Godson: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Murray of Blidworth on6 March (HL6140), whether they intend to conduct a review into UK visas given to Religious Workers or Ministers of Religion from Iran; and if so, what is the timetable for doing so.

Lord Murray of Blidworth: The Home Office is fully aware of the risks associated with this route.The Home Office regularly reviews the criteria used to identify persons who may pose a higher risk to the UK, with scrutiny given to each application the Home Office receives and additional interventions taken where required. For national security reasons, it would not be appropriate to disclose these criteria, nor the timing of when these reviews take place.

Department of Health and Social Care

Cancer: Drugs

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that more cancer drugs can transition from a Phase 1 study to Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency(MHRA) approval.

Lord Markham: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is aware that customers who have submitted initial applications and amendments to our Clinical Investigations and Trials team have experienced extended timeframes in some cases, and understands how this unpredictability may be reducing the number of cancer drugs that can transition from a Phase 1 study to MHRA approval. To help improve the predictability of decision making in applications for clinical trials, the MHRA have implemented several actions.The MHRA are looking at novel ways to develop staff capability and expertise. New assessor capacity is being supplemented with an additional fixed-term resource of appropriately experienced and qualified specialists to support the training and supervision of new staff and to help reduce the current backlog. The MHRA has also established links with the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the BioIndustry Association on clinical trials, to reduce the backlog of delayed applications, which may include applications for cancer drugs. Additionally, they have already reallocated work, and are evaluating queued applications for complexity, to improve the speed of assessment, and are changing processes to take a joined-up risk-proportionate approach.The MHRA is committed to reducing these backlogs so that it makes regulatory decisions in accordance with statutory timeframes for all new fully compliant clinical trial applications received from 1 September 2023. This will enable more cancer drugs to progress from Phase 1 studies to MHRA approval where appropriate.

Benzodiazepines

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have to establish (1) a helpline, and (2) specialist services, to enable patients to break free from addiction to benzodiazepine prescribed drugs.

Lord Markham: Local authorities (LAs) in England are responsible for commissioning drug treatment services, including specialist services for prescribed drug dependency. The Government’s 10-year drug strategy is underpinned by record new investment, including £532 million for LAs to invest in drug treatment and recovery services in addition to the public health grant. LAs’ individual financial allocations and assessment of local need will determine if specialist services for prescribed drug dependency are a viable intervention, and it is for LAs to make the assessment to resource this from their drug treatment funding.The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities provide oversight of local delivery at a national level and continue to monitor implementation against the aims of the drug strategy.

Benzodiazepines

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of people in England addicted to benzodiazepine prescribed drugs.

Lord Markham: The data requested is not held centrally.

Eating Disorders: Hospital Beds

Baroness Parminter: To ask His Majesty's Government howmany inpatient beds are available to the NHS for eating disorder patients in (1) England, (2) the North of England, (3) the Midlands and East of England, (4) London, and (5) the South of England; and, for each of those regions, how many are available for (a) children and young people, and (b) adults.

Lord Markham: The following table shows the information requested on specialised inpatient beds for eating disorder patients: EnglandNorth of EnglandMidlands and East of EnglandLondonSouth of EnglandChildren and young people238271255036Adults400129979975Total638156222149111Source: NHS EnglandNotes:‘Children and young people’ does not include admissions into wider children and young people’s mental health inpatient units as required and reflecting the needs of the young person.The children and adolescent mental health services eating disorder figures are as of June 2023 and the adult eating disorder figures are as of March 2021.

Influenza: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 22 June (HL8406), how many manufacturers of flu vaccinationsthey have identified to provide recommended vaccines to the UK for (1) those aged 65 and over, and (2) those aged 18 to 64 years in eligible groups; and how many manufacturing sites will each of those manufacturers use to supply the UK.

Lord Markham: Adult flu vaccines are purchased locally by individual general practices and community pharmacies. A list of manufacturers of flu vaccines available for the 2023/4 season, including vaccine and age licensed from, was published alongside the annual flu letter, and is shown in the following table. VaccineManufacturerLicensed from ageCell-based Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIVc) Egg-freeCSL Seqiruslicensed from 2 years of ageFluenz Tetra, live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV)AstraZenecalicensed from 2 years to under 18 years of ageQuadrivalent Influenza Vaccine, egg-grown (QIVe)Sanofilicensed from 6 months of ageInfluvac sub-unit Tetra, Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine, egg-grown (QIVe)Viatris (formerly Mylan)licensed from 6 months of ageSupemtek, recombinant Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (QIVr)Sanofilicensed from 18 years of ageAdjuvanted Quadrivalent Influenza Vaccine (aQIV)CSL Seqiruslicensed from 65 years of age  The Department does not hold information on where locally procured vaccines are manufactured.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Framlingham: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that COVID-19 vaccines may cause serious side effects, including death; and what steps they taking to collate all evidence on side effects from COVID-19 vaccinations in order that sufferers may be advised how best to respond to symptoms.

Lord Markham: All COVID-19 vaccines deployed in the United Kingdom have been authorised for use following a rigorous review by the independent regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).The MHRA continuously monitors a wide range of data regarding the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, including reports of adverse reactions from the UK and internationally. The MHRA’s position remains that the benefits of these vaccines far outweigh any currently known side effects in the majority of patients.In the very rare event where an individual may have suffered a severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine, care is likely to be best managed by local National Health Service specialist services, augmented as appropriate by national specialist advice.

Influenza: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 22 June (HL8406), what contingency plansthey have made for a major manufacturer of flu vaccinations being unable to supply the UK for the 2023/24 season.

Lord Markham: The United Kingdom Health Security Agency maintains oversight on adult flu supplier distribution activity during season to ascertain whether there are any manufacturing problems which could impact the running of the programme at a national level, such as the number of doses available across the United Kingdom or significant delays to deliveries.If there are factors that are sufficiently serious to significantly affect the implementation of the vaccination programme, guidance will be issued to the National Health Service to minimise the impact, for example by advising the prioritisation of particular eligible groups over others.

Prisoners: Foetal Alcohol Syndrome

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what work is being done in prisons to identify victims of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome; andwhat steps they are taking to introduce appropriate management and treatment regimes for those prisoners identified.

Lord Markham: All people in prison receive an early health assessment through a reception screening process. Every person receives a first and second stage health assessment, which incorporates a mental health screening in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines. This screening includes questions and actions relating to their risk of self-harm and/or suicide, learning disabilities and neurodevelopmental disorders.For women who are pregnant and in prison, a full health assessment is undertaken. Any risks, such as alcohol dependency which could lead to foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), should be monitored and managed by the healthcare team, including midwife support. Currently there is no specific treatment for FASD, but where a baby is at risk of FASD, this will form part of the birth plan with the hospital.

Influenza and Whooping Cough: Vaccination

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 29 June 2023 (HL8408), what reasons they have identified for the fall in seasonal flu vaccine uptake in NHS Trust-based frontline healthcare workers in England for 2022 to 2023 compared with 2021 to 2022.

Lord Markham: The Government is committed to protecting people most vulnerable to seasonal flu through vaccination as guided by the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. Feedback from regions was sought by NHS England in May 2023 with trusts to explore the reasons for a reduction in seasonal flu vaccine uptake in National Health Service-based frontline healthcare workers from 2022 to 2023 compared with 2021 to 2022.This work identified that the fall arose because of vaccine fatigue amongst staff following numerous vaccination campaigns over the last two years. Some staff also reported ‘choosing’ a winter vaccination and favouring COVID-19 over flu vaccination.

Radon Gas: Northern Ireland

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of thelevels of radon in Northern Ireland; and what steps they are taking to protect the public's health.

Lord Markham: The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) works closely on radon matters with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Civil Service. This includes coordination on the production of radon potential maps. These maps are produced from radon measurements in homes that have been combined with the underlying geology to estimate the probability that a property in a particular location will exceed the Action Level for homes. Radon potential is also a good indicator for most workplaces and informs health and safety and building regulations.The radon measurements that contribute to radon potential maps are from those conducted by private householders and landlords through UKHSA’s radon measurement service. The most recent radon potential map for Northern Ireland was published in 2015. This indicated that 155,000 homes (about one in five in Northern Ireland) are now in ‘Affected Areas’. These are places where some households are exposed to radon at a level where we recommend protective action.A revised radon potential map for Great Britain was published in December 2022. This was prompted by significant increases in the number of results available, a major revision of the geological data from British Geological Survey and an updated statistical method. The Northern Ireland map from 2015 already used the revised statistical method, the geological data have not changed and the increase in radon results in homes has not been sufficient to justify re-mapping.Numerous Government organisations in Northern Ireland are closely involved in the production of the second edition of the National Radon Action Plan (NRAP). This ensures that any territorial differences in the arrangements for radon control, regulations and messaging are considered. The Environmental Public Health Protection Network also provides a forum for UKHSA and public health in Northern Ireland to ensure that radon is included in campaigns such as indoor air quality.

Suicide: Men

Baroness Whitaker: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 15 June (HL8295), how they are targeting the extra funds for suicide prevention among the minority ethnic groups with a higher than average prevalence of suicide, including the Gypsy and Traveller communities; and whether they treat Gypsy and Traveller men as a high risk category.

Lord Markham: As part of the Spring 2023 Budget, an additional £10 million was announced for a Suicide Prevention Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Grant Fund to support people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis. Further information about the fund will be set out in due course.We also announced on 9 May 2022 that 113 suicide prevention voluntary, community and social enterprises received a share of £5.4 million funding in 2021/22, distributed through the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund, to prevent suicide in high-risk groups, including people from minority ethnic groups.Whilst Gypsy and Traveller men are not named as a high-risk group within the current national suicide prevention strategy of 2012 or subsequent progress reports, we are aware of research indicating increased risk in Gypsy and Traveller groups. Every local authority has a multi-agency suicide prevention plan in place and we have published a resource to support local suicide prevention planning, a copy of which is attached. The resource emphasises that local demographics need to be considered when developing plans, and that this includes considering the needs of people from minority ethnic groups, such as Gypsies and Travellers.We have committed to publish a new national suicide prevention strategy later this year and have been engaging widely across the sector to understand what further action we can take to reduce cases of suicides. The new strategy will reflect new evidence and national priorities for preventing suicides across England.PHE local suicide prevention planning (pdf, 1504.7KB)

Abortion: Drugs

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord Markham on 4 July (HL 8691), what measuresthey have in place to evaluate the effectiveness of abortion providers’ ability to safeguard vulnerable women, who may experience coercion to end a pregnancy, from accessing home-use early medical abortion.

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government how they ensure that abortion providers offer appropriate staffing levels and training to safeguard vulnerable women who access home-use early medical abortion and may be subject to coercion to end a pregnancy.

Lord Markham: Safeguarding is an essential aspect of abortion care. The Department has recently strengthened its expectations of providers around safeguarding in the Required Standard Operating Procedures for approved independent sector abortion providers in England (RSOPs).The RSOPs include the requirement that all abortion providers have effective arrangements in place to safeguard vulnerable women accessing home-use early medical abortion who may be experiencing coercion to end a pregnancy. Providers must ensure that all staff are trained in recognising the signs of potential abuse and coercion and know how to respond.The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspects against all the Department’s RSOPs when it inspects an independent sector provider, and safeguarding procedures are included in the CQC’s Termination of Pregnancy inspection framework as areas to be considered during an inspection.As commissioners of abortion care, NHS England and integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring abortion providers have appropriate staffing levels and that staff are trained to meet safeguarding requirements.

NHS: Agency Workers

Lord Clark of Windermere: To ask His Majesty's Government what was the total amount paid for all agency staff in the NHS, including hiring and organisational costs, for (1) April 2019, and (2) April 2023.

Lord Markham: NHS England advised costs for agency staff of £594.8 million for the quarter including April 2019, as reported in the NHS England and Improvement Financial Performance Report, First Quarter 2019/20, a copy of which is attached. The data has not been finalised for publication for 2023/24.NHS England does not collect hiring costs at an organisational level.Financial Performance Report  (pdf, 315.2KB)

NHS: Drugs and Medical Equipment

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government which (1) medicines, and (2) medical devices,are currently being provided and delivered by homecare medicines services.

Lord Markham: Homecare medicines services can be designed to satisfy a variety of different requirements to meet the needs of the patient and the NHS Trust. The different types of services delivered are set out on Page 11 of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s 2014 Handbook for Homecare Services, a copy of which is attached; these also describe the use of medicines and medical devices where appropriate.NHS England’s Commercial Medicines Unit manages four national framework agreements for specialist services covering home parenteral nutrition, enzyme replacement therapy, lysosomal storage disorders and bleeding disorders. The individual homecare medicines contracts and agreements are for the service provision to deliver the required medicine and medical devices where necessary; the devices will take the form of pumps and ancillaries required to administer the medication.Attachment (pdf, 576.4KB)

Dengue Fever

Lord Trees: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the risk of Dengue Fever being transmitted in the UK, now and in the future.

Lord Markham: Dengue is a mosquito-borne infection that is transmitted by the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito from the Stegomyia subgenus. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) undertakes surveillance of dengue cases in the United Kingdom. All cases identified in the UK to date are imported cases where a human has been infected abroad then travelled to the UK. There is no current evidence of the presence of mosquito species that can transmit dengue in the UK and there is no risk of acquisition of infection within the UK.Changing weather conditions favourable for the proliferation of mosquitoes and the expansion outside of historical areas of transmission secondary to climate change may lead to changes in dengue transmission beyond current endemic areas. UKHSA have published modelling on the future risk of establishment of mosquito species that can transmit dengue in the UK, and undertake daily international horizon scanning via epidemic intelligence to track changing dengue epidemiology globally. Detections of invasive mosquitoes are responded to in line with the national contingency plan to prevent the establishment of mosquitoes that can transmit dengue.

Home Care Services: Standards

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government whether there is a Key Performance Indicator for theharms caused to patients because of a failure of provision of homecare services.

Lord Blencathra: To ask His Majesty's Government how many different templates exist for paper prescriptions issued to homecare providers.

Lord Markham: The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) used include reporting of patient safety incidents, which includes all cases of severe or moderate harm or death associated with a reportable incident. Definitions as well as detailed guidance on managing complaints and incidents within the homecare medicine service are contained in Appendix 19 of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society homecare standards, a copy of which is available in an online-only format.Information is not held centrally on the number of different paper prescription templates currently in use. In 2022, the National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC) developed standard template prescriptions which are published in the Royal Pharmaceutical handbook for homecare services. Guidance from the NHMC advises that new services should use the template, and existing services should adopt the template on their next review.

Processed Food

Baroness Suttie: To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to carry out research into the impact of ultra-processed foods on public health outcomes.

Lord Bethell: The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is currently carrying out a scoping review of the evidence on processed foods and health and aims to publish its initial assessment in the summer of 2023. SACN’s scoping review will make a number of research recommendations in this area. This review will also include evaluating existing classifications of processed foods, including ultra-processed foods and the NOVA classification.SACN is a committee of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) and provides independent scientific advice and risk assessments on nutrition and related health issues. Members of SACN are appointed as independent scientific experts in their field. We are not aware of any plans to agree a definition internationally.The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health including ultra-processed foods. The usual practice of the NIHR is not to ring-fence funds for expenditure on particular topics.

Screening: Age

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what are the age limits on each of the NHS screening programmes and the justification for each limit.

Lord Markham: All National screening programmes are introduced based on recommendations made by the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC). The UK NSC assesses and evaluates the evidence to offer screening when it will offer more good than harm. Screening age ranges are selected based on the range where the evidence supports that balance.The National Health Service breast screening programme invites eligible women to be screened every three years from the age of 50 up to their 71st birthday.The NHS bowel screening programme invited men and women every two years from ages 60 to 74 years old. The programme is expanding to make it available to everyone aged 50 to 59 years old. This is happening gradually over four years and started in April 2021.The NHS cervical screening programme invites people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 49 for screening every three years, whilst people aged 50 to 64 receive an invitation every five years.The NHS abdominal aortic aneurysm screening programme offers men a screening the year they turn 65.The NHS diabetic eye screening programme is offered to anyone with diabetes who is 12 years old or over. Those eligible are invited for an annual screening.The NHS targeted lung cancer screening programme that has been recently announced will invite people aged 55 to 74 identified as being at high risk of lung cancer for screening.For antenatal screening programmes, pregnant women are invited early for screening once the pregnancy has been confirmed. This includes the NHS foetal anomaly screening programme and NHS infectious diseases in pregnancy. Screening for newborns is also offered early at a time when conditions can be detected and where early treatment can improve the baby’s health and prevent severe disability or even death. Newborn screening programmes include the NHS newborn blood spot screening programme, the NHS newborn hearing screening programme, the NHS newborn and infant physical examination screening programme and the NHS sickle cell and thalassaemia screening programme.

Pharmacy: Standards

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of support available under the Pharmacy Access Scheme; and whether the criteria includes the (1)quality, (2) opening hours, and (3) range of provision, of existing pharmacies.

Lord Markham: The Pharmacy Access Scheme provides additional funding to pharmacies where the next nearest pharmacy is more than a 20-minute walk away. This is calculated as a 0.8-mile walking distance in areas of high deprivation and 1 mile in other areas. In 2021, we agreed updated eligibility criteria and an updated payment model with Community Pharmacy England. To be eligible for the payment, pharmacies must deliver the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service. Quality and opening hours are not included in the eligibility criteria.

Brain Cancer: Medical Treatments

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme to ensure that brain tumour patients are able to access the most promising treatments.

Lord Markham: The early access to medicines scheme (EAMS) aims to give patients with life threatening or seriously debilitating conditions access to medicines that do not yet have a marketing authorisation when there is a clear unmet medical need.Under the scheme, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will give a scientific opinion on the benefit/risk balance of the medicine, based on the data available when the EAMS submission was made and the EAMS criteria. The MHRA will make an evaluation of products, including drugs such as for brain tumour treatments, once an application is received.If we do receive an application, it is only made public where an EAMS Scientific Opinion (SO) is awarded. All EAMS SOs are published on the EAMS webpage. All drugs that have previously held an EAMS SO are also published on the EAMS webpage.Criminal Justice statistics (pdf, 545.8KB)

Cabinet Office

Covid-19 Inquiry: Legal Costs

Lord Jackson of Peterborough: To ask His Majesty's Government what legal costs they have incurred to date as a result oftheir decision to seek a judicial review on the application of the Inquiries Act 2005 to the Covid-19 Inquiry.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: We do not yet have a figure for the costs incurred. We brought this judicial review to seek clarification on a point of law and we are pleased that the Court agreed that there was an important legal question to consider. It acknowledged our concerns over respecting the privacy of individuals and ensuring that completely irrelevant information is returned and not retained.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

China: Religious Buildings

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that, despite protests, minarets and domes are to be removed from two mosquesin Yunnan province, China; and what discussions they have had, orintend to have, with the government of China concerning threats to the freedom of all religions.

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the compatibility with human rights of the reported "sinicization" of mosques and churches in China.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The environment for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) across China is restrictive, including the persecution of Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and Falun Gong practitioners. We are aware of reports of religious sites being altered or destroyed, against the wishes of worshippers.We work within international organisations and networks to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief for all where it is threatened, including the UN, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the Council of Europe, and the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance.For example, in October 2022 we raised China's severe restrictions on religious practice in a joint statement at the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) alongside 49 other countries. At last month's UN HRC we made a statement urging China to reverse its ongoing, serious, and systematic human rights violations in Xinjiang and Tibet.More generally, we regularly raise the human rights situation in China directly with the Chinese authorities at the highest levels. The Foreign Secretary did so in a meeting with the Chinese Vice President in May 2023.

Indo-Pacific Region and Latin America: Foreign Relations

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Foreign Secretary on 29 June, what assessment they have made of the UK’s future relations with growing regional powers in (1) the Indo-Pacific region, and (2) Latin America.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As the Foreign Secretary has set out, the UK is committed to making a long term and sustained effort to revive old friendships and build new ones, reaching far beyond our long-established alliances. This includes increasing the UK's engagement with countries in the Indo-Pacific region and Latin America, strengthening our relationship in areas of mutual interest such as defence, security and trade partnerships, and upholding and promoting the international rules-based system.

Sudan: Refugees

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the levels of success that they or United Nations agencies are having in reaching refugees fleeing genocide in Darfur, Sudan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Access into Sudan remains extremely limited, including almost no access to parts of Khartoum, Darfur and Kordofan states. We continue to work with the UN, neighbouring states, donors and humanitarian agencies to coordinate the effective delivery of aid in Sudan and urge the parties to the conflict to abide by their commitments under international humanitarian law. It is essential that lifesaving humanitarian aid is allowed to reach those in harder-to-reach areas, such as Darfur. The Minister for Development and Africa [Andrew Mitchell] announced that the UK will provide £21.7 million in humanitarian aid for Sudan. This follows an earlier announcement of £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad. This aid will provide assistance such as safe drinking water, food, medical care and shelter to people in need, as well as supporting Gender Based Violence protection services. The UK also continues to fund and provide support to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sudan (OHCHR), a UN body that provides a crucial role in monitoring and reporting on human rights violations. OHCHR have deployed staff to neighbouring countries' borders to interview survivors of the violence, with a view to collecting witness testimonies and preserving these for possible future accountability mechanisms, should they be established.

Libya: Detention Centres

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the extent to which detention centres for migrants and refugees in Libyaare (1) routinely visited by United Nations agencies, and (2) receive international aid, irrespective of who operates those centres.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government consistently urges all states to uphold international law and international human rights standards and to avoid any action that may endanger human life. We continue to monitor the abuse of migrants and refugees in Libya and the inhumane conditions in detention centres. The UK supported the mandate for the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya to asses human rights abuses, including violations in detention centres. We continue to urge the interim Government of National Unity to take steps to end the exploitation and abuse of migrants and to implement a better functioning system that respects human rights. We support the UN's call for detention centres across Libya to be closed, and call on all parties to engage with the UN and the humanitarian community so that all migrants and refugees can be evacuated safely in accordance with international human rights law.

Zimbabwe: Elections and Political Prisoners

The Earl of Sandwich: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case ofJoana Mamombe MP and other political activists recently detained in Zimbabwe; whether they have made representations to the government of that country in respect of those detentions in the context of the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe; and what plans they have to press for an increase in the number of international observers of those elections.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has observed a trend of lengthy pre-trial detention of government critics in Zimbabwe. The Minister for Development and Africa raised this issue with Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa when they met in the margins of His Majesty the King's Coronation. As I, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, stated in the House last week, 'we have raised our concerns with the Government [of Zimbabwe] and have publicly called for full investigation into the allegations', of abduction and abuse of opposition members Joana Mamombe MP, Cecilia Chimbiri and Netsai Marova. The UK welcomes Zimbabwe's announcement that invitations have been sent to a broad range of international observer missions for elections on 23 August.

Tigray: World Food Programme

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the United Nations aboutallegations ofcorruptionin respect ofUN World Food Programme resources for the alleviation of malnutrition and hunger in Tigray; whether the UN is investigating any such allegations;if so, when this investigation will be completed; and when the UN’s food assistance in Tigray will be restored.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In Spring 2023, US investigations uncovered large-scale nationwide food diversion schemes. In June, the US paused their food assistance to Ethiopia, which constitutes over 80 percent of the total. The pause will remain in place until adequate oversight, monitoring and risk mitigation measures are addressed. We are part of the UN Aid Diversions Taskforce and have been pressing for a humanitarian system-wide investigation. We are working with our representatives to the UN and World Bank to find solutions.

Africa: UN Security Council

Lord Storey: To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Foreign Secretary on 29 June, what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed addition of a permanent member of the UN Security Council from an African nation.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has a clear and longstanding position on UN Security Council (UNSC) reform, including support for permanent African representation on the Council, as referenced in the Foreign Secretary's speech on multilateralism on 29 June.The UK believes that UNSC reform is needed to make the Council more representative of the world. Coupled with a renewed commitment to the UN Charter, a reformed Council would be well placed to respond decisively to threats to international peace and security.

Arms Control

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Stockholm International Peace Research InstituteSIPRI Yearbook 2022: Armaments, Disarmaments and International Security, published on 12 June; in particular, the finding that the global number of nuclear weapons is increasing.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Integrated Review and its Refresh acknowledge that the security environment has grown more contested and that some states are now significantly increasing and diversifying their nuclear arsenals, contributing to the increase in global stockpiles of nuclear weapons and posing a threat to strategic stability. The UK has achieved substantial reductions in its nuclear weapon stockpile from its cold war peak. HMG believes the best way to achieve a world without nuclear weapons is through gradual multilateral disarmament under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

Tigray: Peace Negotiations

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to establish a Donors’ Conference to coordinate efforts to (1) enable the physical reconstruction of Tigray and, (2) deepen peace building and the healing of the social fabric following the war.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Since 2019, the UK has allocated more than £400 million in humanitarian support to Ethiopia. This funding is going towards varied humanitarian assistance, support to survivors of sexual violence and conflict, local peace building organisations and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission. In May 2023 the UK co-chaired a pledging event for the Horn of Africa that raised around £1.9 billion for nearly 32 million people across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia. £42 million of this is additional support the UK has pledged for Ethiopia, which will be allocated according to need through trusted partners.

Tigray: Peace Negotiations

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that transitional justice in Tigray leads to (1) the prosecution and conviction of those responsible for atrocity crimes in Tigray, and (2) the removal from the region of external forces which threaten the peace agreement.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is committed to human rights being respected and those responsible for human rights abuses and violations being held to account. We continue to support the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia. We are providing £4.5 million to help build the capacity of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission through the UK's Human Rights and Peacebuilding programme.

Tigray: Armed Conflict

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of people who have died as a consequence of the war in Tigray as a result of (1) fatalities in the conflict, (2) displacement, and (3) illness and hunger caused by the conflict.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Reliable information on casualties caused by the conflict in Tigray is very scarce. Armed violence is likely to have cased thousands of battlefield casualties. Calculating deaths attributable to displacement, hunger and illness is more challenging. This is due to the breakdown in medical and communications services in Tigray during the conflict, exacerbated by the negligible levels of humanitarian access all of which hampered information gathering and accurate reporting.

Tigray: Internally Displaced People

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that 700 people have died of hunger over a two-month period in the camp for internally displaced people at Shire, Western Tigray.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the reports of widespread hunger and other challenging circumstances people face in camps in Tigray. We do not currently have further information on the specific reports of deaths in the Shire camp. Humanitarian partners in Ethiopia are closely following the situation of vulnerable people across Ethiopia and investigating allegations of risk to life as a result of gaps in food assistance. We continue to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable people across Ethiopia, including in Tigray.

Department for Business and Trade

Trade Agreements: USA

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely timing of a free trade agreement with the USA.

Lord Johnson of Lainston: The United States is not negotiating traditional FTAs with any country. On the 8th of June, the Prime Minister and the President announced a first-of-its-kind economic partnership. The Atlantic Declaration and accompanying Action Plan cover the full spectrum of our economic, technological, commercial and trade relations, and will explore ways to expand our bilateral trade, already worth £279 billion per year.As part of the Declaration, we announced the immediate launch of negotiations on a Critical Minerals Agreement to ensure UK access to the US market for a strategically important sector of the UK economy and bolster vital supply chains.

Treasury

Public Expenditure

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the continued effectiveness of the Barnett formula for the devolved nations of the UK.

Baroness Penn: The Barnett formula is simple, efficient and provides a clear and certain outcome. For this reason, it has stood the test of time.  The Barnett formula ensures the same change in funding per person across the whole of the UK, while the underlying baseline funding reflects that needs are higher in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  The devolved administrations are receiving over 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in other parts of the UK.

Revenue and Customs: Information Sharing

Lord Dodds of Duncairn: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will list those intended to be covered by the term “or anyone acting on their behalf” in Regulation 2 of the Windsor Framework (Disclosure of Revenue and Customs Information) Regulations 2023; whether there are any statutory limits on what information anyone acting in this capacity could provide to the EU; and whether those to whom the information pertains will be informed that the information has been passed to the EU.

Baroness Penn: The UK Government has been clear that the sharing of information is an important feature underpinning the Windsor Framework.In relation to the matters covered by The Windsor Framework (Disclosure of Revenue and Customs Information) Regulations 2023, HMRC is generally the body which will share relevant information in respect of customs, VAT and excise.The provision to also allow others acting on HMRC’s behalf to share information is intended to ensure that where other departments & agencies (for example, Border Force) are working on delegated authority from HMRC, they can also share information if necessary. There are limited scenarios under which any other departments or agencies would ever have access to such information, due to existing restrictions on the sharing of taxpayer-related data. Restrictions on the data which can be shared are contained both in existing domestic law through the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act (CRCA) and Human Rights Act (HRA) and in the provisions of the 2023 Regulation itself. Disclosure is only permitted for the purposes of meeting an obligation of the United Kingdom arising under or relating to the Framework.HMRC will not routinely be informing those to whom the information pertains when relevant information is shared under Windsor Framework arrangements. However, HMRC’s published privacy notice is up to date and reflects the information we share with the EU.

Ministry of Defence

Armed Forces: Cost of Living

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support armed forces personnel with the increased cost of living.

Baroness Goldie: Defence recognises that nobody is immune from the recent rises in inflation and the cost of living. We are committed to doing what we can to assist Armed Forces personnel where possible, including implementing the independent Armed Forces' Pay Review Body's 2022 pay award recommendations in full, a pay uplift of 3.75%; capping subsidised accommodation charge increases to 1%; increasing travel allowances by 7%; no rise in food charges; over 32,000 Service Personnel have received a Contribution in Lieu of Council Tax rebate of £150; and families can save around £3,400 per child per year through our wraparound childcare.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Planning: Combined Authorities

Baroness Kennedy of Cradley: To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the effectiveness of Combined Authorities in delivering strategic planning objectives.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Although the Government has not undertaken a formal assessment of how Combined Authorities are meeting their strategic planning objectives, officials from the Department work closely with the Combined Authorities. There is regular and ongoing engagement with those Combined Authorities that have specific planning powers and functions.

Planning Permission

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask His Majesty's Government (1) what assessment they have made of (a) the use of retrospective planning applications following deliberate breaches of planning rules, and (b) the level of resources available to local authorities to resist such breaches, and (2) what plans they have to prohibit inappropriate developments using retrospective planning applications and to prevent resubmissions of failed applications with only marginal changes to the proposal.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government does not collect data on retrospective planning applications. We have introduced measures in the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill to tighten up the retrospective planning application process, which is being considered by both Houses of Parliament. We have recently consulted on doubling the fees for retrospective planning applications and sought views on potential ways to improve developer accountability and, in particular, take account of past irresponsible behaviour in decision making. We also intend to consult on updating national planning policy to give increased weight against intentional unauthorised development so it can be dealt with more robustly in decisions.

Renewable Energy: Planning

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have any planstosimplify the planning process for renewables.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Our National Planning Policy Framework is clear that when determining planning applications for renewable and low carbon development, local planning authorities should approve the application if its impacts are (or can be made) acceptable.In addition, powers in our Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill will enable us to create a more consistent, streamlined and digitally enabled approach to planning applications. When utilised with existing powers, this will enable us to create an end-to-end system which is faster and more accessible to communities.

Private Rented Housing: Pets

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effects of clauses 16B and 16C of the Renters (Reform) Bill on blocks of flats whose leases prohibit pets which may cause a nuisance.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Renters (Reform) Bill provides landlords with added flexibility where they need to obtain the consent of a superior landlord when considering any request for a pet. It will be reasonable for landlords to refuse a request where accepting a pet would breach an agreement with a superior landlord.

Private Rented Housing: Shortages

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to end the shortage of private rental accommodation; and whether such steps include restoring tax relief on buy to let mortgages.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government is driving up the supply of new homes by diversifying the market, investing in affordable housing, and increasing land supply for new homes by investing in infrastructure. We welcome new institutional investment in the private rented sector and have made a number of interventions to support the Build to Rent sector.Since 2010, there have been a range of policy changes affecting private landlords, including tax changes for buy-to-let landlords. Specifically on mortgage interest, landlords are able to claim tax relief at the basic rate on finance costs for their rental property. Landlords also continue to be able to claim relief at their marginal rate of income tax on the day-to-day costs incurred in letting out a property, such as letting agent fees and replacing furniture.  As with all matters of taxation, the Treasury keeps this policy under regular review, and any decision on future changes will be taken in the context of the wider public finances.

Private Rented Housing

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the availability of long-term rental properties in holiday resorts and city centres as a result of the introduction of periodic tenancies.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government is providing tenants with a fairer deal, moving to periodic tenancies for all renters. This will protect tenants from the injustice of being forced to pay for unsafe or non-decent homes, and retain the flexibility that is one of the key benefits of renting in the PRS.The two Government consultations on the 'Introduction of a use class for short term lets and associated permitted development rights' and the 'Consultation on a registration scheme for short-term lets in England' closed on 7 June. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and the Department for Culture Media and Sport are in the process of analysing responses for their respective consultations. Further announcements will be made in due course.Use class for short term lets (pdf, 370.9KB)Consultation on a registration scheme (pdf, 619.8KB)

Shorthold Tenancies: Mortgages

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the abolition of assured shorthold tenancies on those seeking a mortgage from mortgage companies which require tenancies of at least six months without a break.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver a fairer deal for renters and landlords, removing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) to abolish Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. This will provide tenants with more security.The Government has considered the impact of removing ASTs and continues to engage with stakeholders, including the financial sector, on the impact of the reforms. Financial products continue to be available in Scotland, where similar reforms have been implemented.

Retail Trade: Urban Areas

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist local retailers in adapting to a changing high street environment, including rising costs and an increase in online shopping.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: This Government is committed to supporting high streets.  A £400 billion package helped businesses impacted by COVID-19, whilst almost £8 billion has been invested in long-term initiatives to strengthen our local businesses.The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill introduces High Street Rental Auctions, to help communities and businesses take control of empty properties at affordable market rents.The Law Commission is reviewing the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, part II. The review, which aims to make commercial property more accessible to small businesses, is anticipated to run until September 2025. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) provides a baseline discount to eligible non-domestic customers from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024, and the 3-year Exchequer funded Transitional Relief scheme, worth £1.6 billion, supports around 700,000 ratepayers in England.These measures demonstrate Government’s commitment to supporting retailers in a changing environment.

Private Rented Housing: Tenancy Agreements

Lord Truscott: To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Renters (Reform) Bill will make leases in apartment blocks banning short lets illegal.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: The Government is aware that stakeholders have raised concerns about this issue and is considering whether any mitigations might be needed.

National Holocaust Memorial Centre and Learning Service: Tree Felling

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government how manyexisting large trees would have to be felled to make way for the proposed Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens.

Lord Hylton: To ask His Majesty's Government howtall the proposed structure for the Holocaust Memorial in Victoria Tower Gardens will be; and whether it will exceed the height of the existing Buxton Memorial.

Baroness Scott of Bybrook: Page 66 of the Design and Access Statement Part 1, which was submitted to the public inquiry and is available on the Westminster City Council website, shows that the memorial will be 10 metres high; and lower than the Buxton Memorial, which is 13.5 metres high, westminster.gov.uk.   No existing large trees will have to be felled to make way for the Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre.

Northern Ireland Office

Public Sector: Pay

Lord Weir of Ballyholme: To ask His Majesty's Government howmuch of the current Northern Ireland Block Grant is used for employee pay for (1) civil servants, and (2) other public sector workers.

Lord Caine: The UK Government provides, on average, £15 billion per year to Northern Ireland through the block grant. The Northern Ireland Department of Finance confirms that the budget for pay for Northern Ireland civil servants is approximately £409 million and the wider public sector is approximately £7.7 billion for the 2023-24 financial year. Stable and accountable devolved government is the best way of delivering on the issues that matter most to the people of Northern Ireland, such as public sector pay. That is why the focus of the UK Government remains on restoring the Executive.

The Senior Deputy Speaker

Palace of Westminster: Fire Safety

Lord Berkeley: To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker on what dates in the last 20 years full scale evacuation drills of the House of Lords parts of the Palace of Westminster were undertaken, and which of these involved (1) the whole Palace building occupied by the Lords or parts, (2) the main Committee corridor, (3) an evacuation whilst the House was sitting, (4) the use of volunteer staff, (5) the general public present in the building as well as the relevant staff members, and (6) the provision of reports including timings and lessons learned, and whether copies of the reports on these events will be placed in the Library of the House.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Annual Fire Drills are required to be established and implemented by the Responsible Persons as set out in Article 15 (a) of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.The records that have been possible to investigate do not provide detail of evacuations for the past 20 years. The information below, taken from Fire Safety Committee reports, details full evacuations across the Estate on the following dates: 2016: 29 February and 31 October2017: 10 July2018: 21 May and 17 December2019: 24 June2020: Evacuation drills were scheduled for June and December but were postponed due to Covid-19 restrictions and advice on social distancing2021: 13 September2022: 7 February and 6 December2023: 22 May 1. All fire drills are undertaken across the whole of The Palace of Westminster.2. The main Committee corridor is evacuated under the Palace of Westminster drill.3. None of the drills listed above have been undertaken while the House is sitting. The Services Committee discussed a possible evacuation when the Palace is at its busiest at its July 2023 meeting.4. The efficacy of the evacuation process relies on suitably trained staff across the estate to assist with each evacuation. House of Lords Doorkeepers have received specific fire safety training on the evacuation of the Chamber. Other areas are managed by Security staff and House of Lords administration staff who have volunteered to be Fire Marshals and have undertaken training on evacuations. Specific drills have used volunteers to simulate mobility impaired persons in June 2019 and December 2022, and as part of an evacuation of a Lords Committee drill in January 2020.5. All drills incorporate the general public and all staff working in the area, they also incorporate any other events happening in the Palace at the time including line of route tours, catering events and educational tours.6. All evacuations lead to reports issued to the Fire Safety Committee. Actions arising from these reports are communicated to the House of Lords Services Committee and are reported on by both the Director of Estates for the House of Lords and the Fire Safety Team. The minutes of the Services Committee are available online and in the Printed Paper Office.The Estates and Fire Risk Management Team also report annually on the completion statistics for fire training across the House of Lords Estate and on the latest fire drills undertaken.